Hexbug continues marketing push

Ambitious electronic insect company Hexbug is continuing its heavyweight promotion of the brand with a number of new initiatives planned including TV, sponsorship and PR activity.

The property made an impact at Toy Fair recently with its highly visible sponsorship and promotions in and around the event, and the marketing activity will continue as it looks to firmly establish the brand.

Hexbug marketing manager, Heather Rowson, said: “Following our headline sponsorship of the London Toy Fair in January, this year has already proved to be a very exciting one for Hexbug in the UK with lots more to come.

“From our stand at The Gadget Show this month to our heavyweight advertising strategy targeting children directly, we really want to make a huge impact this year and continue to generate even more enthusiasm among target audiences in 2011.

“We’re particularly excited about our sponsorship of London Zoo’s BedBUGS sleepovers. Not only is the partnership with the charitable organisation part of our CSR activity, but the BedBUGS programme also seeks to educate children about science and nature in a fun and interactive way, and this is exactly what Hexbug is all about.”

A heavyweight Hexbug advertising campaign will include TV programme sponsorship of CITV’s four to nine year olds strand, plus Generator Rex on Cartoon Network.

The CITV sponsorship will run from April to September between 3pm and 6pm weekdays and 9.25am until 6pm at weekends, delivering over 2500 TVRs.

Boys will also be specifically targeted through TV sponsorship of Generator Rex on Cartoon Network between May and June. Turner Broadcasting is also doing web drive TV spots between April and June, pushing young viewers to a dedicated micro site where they can play Hexbug games and win prizes.

TV advertising will also run across Cartoon Network, CN TOO, Boom, CITV, Nickelodoen, Nick toons, Pop and Kix in a three-week burst from Monday April 11th through until Monday May 2nd.

PR activity will include a year-long programme of competitions and features across key kids press throughout peak holiday periods.

Social media activity is also at the forefront of the marketing campaign with the ongoing expansion of the Hexbug Facebook page and Twitter feed plus the continued development of relationships with parenting sites.

The company will have a stand at The Gadget Show Live between April 13th and 17th, showcasing the new Hexbug Nano Habitat sets and other Hexbug collections to the trade and the public.

Hexbug is teaming up with ZSL London Zoo to sponsor the venue’s series of BedBUGS sleepovers throughout 2011.

These give eight to 14 year olds the chance to spend the night at London Zoo, check out the resident bugs and take part in animal talks, tours, games and a night time tour of the venue.

The girls market continues to be a lucrative buy tricky sector, as toys are constantly battling against other mediums like music, fashion and gaming. Licensed properties still figure highly, but so do more interactive based toys, with even traditional plush now featuring these elements...